Art Maier: What can candidates understand about environment, energy and economics?

Art Maier

Tuesday

Sep 30, 2008 at 12:01 AMSep 30, 2008 at 12:28 PM

Do the main presidential candidates personally understand at least some of the technical aspects of the horrid environmental, energy and economic problems? Will their own educational backgrounds help them make decisions on these issues?

Do the main presidential candidates personally understand at least some of the technical aspects of the horrid environmental, energy and economic problems? Will their own educational backgrounds help them make decisions on these issues?

Think this isn’t important? Believe me, it is.

As bad as our environmental and related energy problems are, they could be much worse. We still benefit from a president who personally understood enough of the academic sciences, to plan and then enforce some helpful environmental programs.

President Theodore Roosevelt studied biology, chemistry and related subjects as part of his education at Harvard University. His studies led him to believe that a national conservation program was badly needed.

As president, Roosevelt vigorously promoted this. He appointed people who could and would make wise policies for sparing the environment. Roosevelt himself could understand reports of successes or failures. No other expert had to “dummy down” for him the technicalities of the zoology, botany, etc. He could review nearly all the problem details himself, and then prescribe change.

One of my relatives, a long-retired engineer, says we are still benefiting from Roosevelt’s applied knowledge. It appears that some European countries didn’t begin environmental-conservation programs until perhaps the 1930s. We have done better.

Our early environmental programs also have helped conserve some energy sources.

Readers may know that Herbert Hoover (president, 1929-1933) was a university-degreed mining engineer. He had interests in the environment, but, saddled with the depression during most of his term, could hardly promote many government programs.

What about the education and expertise of the two current presidential candidates? One is educated in political science and law, the other graduated from a military academy. Will the one elected president be able to get facts behind the issues directly, or will the data have to be “dumbed down” by other advisers?

I know quite a few attorneys and military people. I find it interesting to compare their education regarding the environment and energy with my academic training.

I hold a college degree with major study emphasis in biology and secondary emphasis in chemistry. I also have a full Master of Science degree in so-called sanitation, from the University of Missouri, Columbia. The MS program included reviewing information on pollution and also energy supply.

The reader can understand that I can see plenty of reasons to be outraged at many of our current energy and environmental policies. The policies, and also enforcements, show lack of knowledge, lack of ethics, or lack of both.

So, assuming the ethics are there, I think it is very worthwhile to ask: What would be the knowledge basis that each candidate might bring to these issues?

John McCain graduated from the United States Naval Academy, sometimes nicknamed “Annapolis,” in 1958. This academy gives all graduates a fully accredited degree. It has been said that McCain’s academic grade averages there were not relatively high.

However, in fairness, we must remember that entrance requirements for Annapolis, and all U. S. military academies, are stringent. Study programs are rigorous. The fact that McCain attended and finished at Annapolis is a compliment to him.

Readers may remember that former President Jimmy Carter graduated from Annapolis. Carter was considered a “nuclear engineer.” But biographies say Carter also attended two or more other colleges. Reportedly, he studied chemistry. McCain does NOT have Carter’s full educational background.

An important purpose of the Naval Academy is preparation of naval officers. McCain was indeed well prepared, as an officer. I emphasize: The preparation itself is excellent. McCain’s orientation at graduation seemed to be military.

Some may feel this background is OK. It could be argued that an intelligent person with old military discipline could learn and learn fast. Perhaps such a person, if president, could review enough of the basics to make good decisions on any issue.

I hope so, but this can be questioned. Material may still have to be diluted to be understood by this former mainly military person.

Barack Obama graduated in 1983 from Columbia University, New York City, with a degree in political science. These studies give him a considerable expertise in issues related to the economy. Later, Obama earned a full law degree from prestigious Harvard University.

Since perhaps the 1960s, many young law students have to review the sciences, one way or another, as part of their full course of study. Then, too, they are practiced in research. By the time of graduation, a law student may have at least surveyed biology, chemistry and also some specifics of public health and environmental sanitation.

Obama’s academic record was, by many accounts, outstanding.

I feel that any person with Obama’s college and law school background is prepared to understand details of environmental and energy issues. Information on this would not often have to be reworded or “dumbed down.”

Regarding the economy, there seems no question that Obama’s legal and social studies education make him VERY well qualified to understand details of the issues.

Still, is all this necessary? I say yes. The issues of energy, environment and the economy have become very, very formidable. We should now have a leader who comes to office, with personal knowledge on these.

Readers may disagree. I am happy that we still have freedom to disagree -- and review issues -- publicly.

In November, the choices can be made. I urge all eligible voters to make their choices.

Art Maier is a semi-retired teacher, environmental science specialist and calligrapher. He is a regular columnist for the Boonville Daily News in Boonville, Mo. He can be contacted at artmaier@sbcglobal.net.

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